* These fees are regulated by Government. We reserve the right to increase fees in subsequent years of study in response to changes in government policy and/or changes to the law. If permitted by such change in policy or law, we may increase your fees by an inflationary amount or such other measure as required by government policy or the law. Please refer to the accompanying Student Terms & Conditions. Further information on fees can be found at http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/tuitionfees/

** We reserve the right to increase fees in subsequent years of study by an inflationary amount. Please refer to the accompanying Student Terms & Conditions for full details. Further information on fees can be found at http://www.keele.ac.uk/studentfunding/tuitionfees/

Course Information Document: Science Foundation Year

For students starting in Academic Year 2019/2020

1. Course Summary

Names of programme(s) and award title(s) Science Foundation Year

Award type Certificate in Foundation Year Studies

Mode of study Full time

Framework of Higher Education Qualification (FHEQ) level of final award

Equivalent to Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 3

Duration One year with progression onto a further three years or four years at Keele. For further details see the Regulations section below.

Location of study Keele University – main campus

Accreditation (if applicable) Not applicable

Regulator Office for Students (OfS)

Tuition Fees UK/EU students: Fee for 2018/19 is £9,250* International students: Fee for 2018/19 is £12,700**

Additional Costs Please refer to the Additional costs section

How this information might change: Please read the important information at http://www.keele.ac.uk/student-agreement/. This explains how and why we may need to make changes to the information provided in this document and to help you understand how we will communicate with you if this happens.

2. What is a Foundation Year programme?

Keele has a long-standing Foundation Year programme. The Foundation Years in general are for students who meet Keele’s minimum entry requirements, but not the specific requirements for entry directly onto the degree programme of their choice. They extend the duration of the degree by one year.

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3. Overview of the Programme

The Science Foundation Year provides a scientific background customised to individual students’ needs, helping them to progress to the subsequent years of a degree programme at Keele. A broad range of modules is available from the life, physical, geographical and environmental sciences, mathematics, computing and psychology.

4. Aims of the Programme

The broad aim of the programme is to provide preparation for subsequent study at Honours degree level in subjects provided in the Faculty of Natural Sciences. A full list of Honours degree programmes provided by each School in the Faculty of Natural Sciences can be found using the links below:

School of Mathematics and Computing: https://www.keele.ac.uk/scm/undergraduatestudy/

School of Life Sciences: https://www.keele.ac.uk/lifesci/undergraduatestudy/

School of Geography, Geology and the Environment: https://www.keele.ac.uk/gge/applicants/

School of Chemical and Physical Sciences: https://www.keele.ac.uk/scps/

School of Psychology: https://www.keele.ac.uk/psychology/undergraduatestudy/

Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences: https://www.keele.ac.uk/ilas/interdisciplinarydegrees/

For combined honours programmes the second subject may be a science, social science, humanities or business discipline.

5. What you will learn

The intended learning outcomes of the programme (what students should know, understand and be able to do at the end of the programme), can be described under the following headings:

Subject knowledge and understanding

Subject specific skills

Key or transferable skills (including employability skills)

Subject knowledge and understanding

These are covered by the subject-specific modules, which are specific to individual programmes and not core to the Science Foundation Year.

Subject specific skills

These are covered by the subject-specific modules, which are specific to individual programmes and not core to the Science Foundation Year.

General academic skills which are common to all routes are gained through the compulsory modules. Successful students will be able to:

reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses, capitalize on their learning style, target areas for improvement and demonstrate progress towards personal SMART targets;

reflect on the communication skills required for effective scientific study at undergraduate level;

communicate well in both verbal and written modes;

carry out primary research with due consideration of acknowledgments and ethical protocols;

carry out literature searches with due consideration of referencing;

write a formal report;

interpret a scientific paper for a non-specialist audience.

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Key or transferable skills (including employability skills)

Successful students will be able to:

communicate effectively in writing and produce professional reports;

communicate effectively orally and give formal presentations;

work cooperatively and collaboratively in groups;

participate in an investigative project;

utilize effective independent study skills;

reflect on own skills and progress;

manage time effectively and work towards deadlines;

write reports with both formal and informal structures;

give a formal oral presentation;

perform mathematical calculations and solve problems through the application of mathematical equations;

derive and interpret the accuracy of numerical values obtained from calculations;

use bespoke commercial software used to represent numerical data graphically.

6. How is the Programme taught?

The programme will be delivered through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, computer classes, laboratory classes and field trips. In addition, students are expected to undertake a large amount of independent study and revision.

Lectures are normally 50 minutes long and consist of a member of staff talking to the whole class with the aid of PowerPoint presentations, whiteboards and other visual aids. Many lectures involve only teaching by the lecturer, although there is usually opportunity to ask questions. However, some lectures are more interactive and may involve activities for the students to undertake.

Tutorials and seminars are small group sessions with a member of staff. Usually there is much more participation by students than in lectures. There is often opportunity for students to suggest the topics to be discussed, to ask questions and even to lead part of the session. Tutorials and seminars usually support the material delivered in the lectures; seminars often allow students and/or staff to introduce supplementary material.

Workshops are small group sessions based around an activity. These may be individual or group activities. A member of staff facilitates the session but the learning comes largely through the undertaking of the activity. Some workshops will complement the material delivered in the lectures rather than build on it directly.

Laboratory classes provide opportunity for students to perform experiments and other practical work under supervision.

Field trips allow students to carry out supervised investigations outside the class room.

In computer classes students complete tasks using a wide variety of computer applications. Members of staff are available to provide guidance.

Independent study includes revision, wider reading around the subject, preparation and writing of assignments, preparatory reading, preparation for seminars and tutorials, and developing skills to complement the material delivered in class. Reading lists are provided to help students direct their reading.

Apart from these formal activities, students are also provided with regular opportunities to talk through particular areas of difficulty, and any special learning needs they may have, with their Personal Tutors or module lecturers on a one-to-one basis.

7. Teaching Staff

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All Foundation Year Centre staff already have or are completing formal teaching qualifications and collectively have many years’ experience of teaching on foundation year programmes. Many are engaged in scholarship relating to teaching and learning. In some cases teaching may be delivered by staff from other Schools in the University, or external experts in their field contracted to deliver specific teaching.

The University will attempt to minimise changes to our core teaching teams, however, delivery of the programme depends on having a sufficient number of staff with the relevant expertise to ensure that the programme is taught to the appropriate academic standard.

Staff turnover, for example where key members of staff leave, fall ill or go on research leave, may result in changes to the programme’s content. The University will endeavour to ensure that any impact on students is limited if such changes occur.

8. What is the Structure of the Programme?

The academic year runs from September to June and is divided into two semesters. The number of weeks of teaching will vary from course to course, but you can generally expect to attend scheduled teaching sessions between the end of September and mid-December, and from mid-January to the end of April.

Students take a combination of modules to a total of 120 credits: compulsory modules (30 credits, or 40 for mathematics), those related to their intended degree programmes after their Foundation Year and some free choice. Modules are worth 10, 15 or 20 credits (10 unless indicated otherwise below).

Compulsory modules

The compulsory modules include:

Academic Development (10 credits)

Communication Skills for Scientists (10 credits)

One of: o Basic Numerical and Computational Skills, (10 credits) for students with GCSE mathematics at

least grade C (4) o Intermediate Numerical and Computational Skills, (10 credits) for students who can

demonstrate proficiency in mathematics significantly above GCSE grade C (4) o Elementary Mathematical Methods I (20 credits), for students enrolled on single honours or

combined honours Mathematics with Science Foundation Year

Subject-specific modules

Modules related to particular subjects, some of which can also be taken as options are shown in Annex 1.

Optional modules

Additional modules will be taken where necessary to bring the total module credit value to 120. These can be in any subject available at Foundation level and modern foreign languages, subject to timetabling constraints and room capacity. For further information on the content of modules currently offered, including the list of optional modules, please visit: www.keele.ac.uk/recordsandexams/az

9. Exit awards

Students successfully completing the programme with 120 credits will be eligible for the Certificate in Foundation Year Studies.

10. How is the Programme assessed?

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The wide variety of assessment methods used within the Science Foundation Year at Keele reflects the broad range of knowledge and skills that are developed as you progress through the programme. Teaching staff pay particular attention to specifying clear assessment criteria and providing timely, regular and constructive feedback that helps to clarify things you did not understand and helps you to improve your performance. The following list is representative of the variety of assessment methods used within the Science Foundation Year.

• Unseen closed and open book examinations in different formats test students’ knowledge and understanding of the subject. Examinations may consist of essay, short answer and/or multiple choice questions, and paper comprehension.

• Essays and reports allow students to demonstrate their ability to articulate ideas clearly, using argument and reasoning skills and with close reference to the contexts and critical concepts covered in the modules. Essays also develop and demonstrate research and presentation skills (including appropriate scholarly referencing).

• Class tests taken either conventionally or online via the Keele Learning Environment (KLE) assess students’ subject knowledge and often their ability to apply it in a more structured and focused way.

• Research projects test student’s knowledge of different research methodologies and the limits and provisional nature of knowledge. They also enable students to demonstrate their ability to formulate research questions and to answer them using appropriate methods.

• Oral and poster presentations and reports assess individual students’ subject knowledge and understanding. They may also test their ability to work effectively as members of a team, to communicate what they know orally and visually, and to reflect on these processes as part of their own personal development.

• Portfolios may consist of a range of different pieces of work but routinely include a requirement that students provide some evidence of critical reflection on the development of their own learning.

• Peer assessment: In some cases students will be involved in peer evaluation of other students’ work, particularly in group work. This helps students to take responsibility, improve their performance, and reflect on both their own work and that of others.

Course work assignments consist of short written pieces completed in students’ own time and provide the opportunity to test a range of deeper learning concepts; they are expected to make use of a variety of source material, as well as their lecture notes and text books etc., to complete these assignments.

Laboratory reports – structured proformas and full laboratory reports are formal summaries of work carried out in the laboratory. They test students’ understanding of the practical aspects of the programme and develop the skills necessary to enable students to present and analyse their results, as well as explain the rationale behind an experiment, describe an associated replicable methodology and draw valid conclusions.

Marks are awarded for summative assessments designed to assess your achievement of learning outcomes. You will also be assessed formatively to enable you to monitor your own progress and to assist staff in identifying and addressing any specific learning needs. Feedback, including guidance on how you can improve the quality of your work, is also provided on all summative assessments within three working weeks of submission, unless there are compelling circumstances that make this impossible, and more informally in the course of tutorial and seminar discussions.

11. Contact Time and Expected Workload

This contact time measure is intended to provide you with an indication of the type of activity you are likely to undertake during this programme. The data is compiled based on module choices and learning patterns of students on similar programmes in previous years. Every effort is made to ensure this data is a realistic representation of what you are likely to experience, but changes to programmes, teaching methods and assessment methods mean this data is representative and not specific.

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Foundation Year courses at Keele contain an element of module choice; therefore, individual students will experience a different mix of contact time and assessment types dependent upon their own individual choice of modules. The figures below are an example of activities that a student may expect on your chosen course by year/stage of study. Contact time includes scheduled activities such as: lecture, seminar, tutorial, project supervision, demonstration, practical classes and labs, supervised time in labs/workshop, fieldwork and external visits. The figures are based on 1,200 hours of student effort each year for full-time students.

Activity Foundation Year

Scheduled learning and teaching activities

33%

Guided independent Study

67%

Placements 0%

12. Accreditation

This programme does not have accreditation from an external body.

13. Regulations

The University Regulations form the framework for learning, teaching and assessment and other aspects of the student experience. Further information about the University Regulations can be found at: http://www.keele.ac.uk/student-agreement/

Regulations regarding Foundation Certificates

If, at the end of the academic year, a student's credit total is 120 then that student will be awarded a Certificate in Foundation Year Studies. This is a virtual certificate but can be realised by students who subsequently withdraw from the University without successfully completing a further year of study.

Regulations regarding progression to level 4

Satisfactory completion of the Foundation Year programme depends upon obtaining 120 credits. Progression to the next level of a particular degree programme at Keele depends on passing all modules and obtaining an average mark across the Foundation Year of at least 55% together with additional threshold marks in specified modules, as listed in Annex 2.

If, at the end of the Spring Semester, a student's credit total is below 120, the Foundation Year Examination Board may recommend to the University Senate one of the following courses of action - that the student:

progress to the next year of the degree programme without further assessment,

retake assessments in specific modules,

submit additional written work or take additional modules,

repeat the year of study, or

withdraw from the University.

Students with fewer than 70 credits at the end of the year will normally be required to repeat the Foundation Year unless they have already repeated the year once, in which case they will be required to withdraw from the University. Students who have more than 70 but less than 120 credits will normally be offered reassessment in failed modules in order to satisfactorily complete the year.

Students who fail to reach a threshold mark at first attempt may be permitted to take reassessment (once only) across the full mark range. For students who pass the module at first attempt, reassessment across the full mark range will be offered in all cases; the mark obtained will in that case be used for progression decisions and also retained on the student’s transcript. In cases where such a student fails a module at first attempt, reassessment will be offered across the full mark range only if the student attempted all assessments by the cut-off deadline

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for marking (i.e. up to one week late); the mark obtained will then be used for progression decisions but the agreed mark which appears on the transcript will be capped at 40%.

Students with at least 70 credits who cannot progress on the basis of autumn semester modules failed at second attempt may under certain circumstances be offered a third attempt during the summer reassessment period, but only to obtain a capped mark of 40%. Such students will not be able to progress to a subject with a requirement of a threshold mark above 40% in the module in question. If they subsequently still fail the Foundation Year and are offered a repeat year, then they will have only one further opportunity in any assessments already taken three times. No student will be allowed more than four valid attempts at any assessment.

Students with fewer than 120 credits who cannot progress on the basis of spring semester modules failed at second attempt will not be entitled to carry failed modules into the next year of study.

14. Other learning opportunities

Students are encouraged to participate in a wide range of activities offered by the University and the Students’ Union, including societies, sports and volunteering. Involvement can be recognized in a number of ways including the Higher Education Achievement Record and Keele SU awards.

15. Additional costs

Activity Estimated cost

Field courses - compulsory – for ‘Exploiting the Earth’ module only £10 (returnable on attendance)

Equipment – protective equipment for Chemistry and Biology modules - approved calculator for mathematics and science modules only

£15 £10

Total estimated additional costs £35

Students taking a mathematical or scientific module will require an approved calculator.

Students working in the chemistry and biology laboratories will be required to wear protective equipment. These can be purchased from the University.

Students taking the module ‘Exploiting the Earth’ will be required to provide a £10 deposit with regard to the field trip, returnable on attendance.

As to be expected there will be additional costs for inter-library loans and potential overdue library fines, print and graduation.

These costs have been forecast by the University as accurately as possible but may be subject to change as a result of factors outside of our control (for example, increase in costs for external services). Forecast costs are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure they remain representative. Where additional costs are in direct control of the University we will ensure increases do not exceed 5%.

We do not anticipate any further costs for this Foundation Year programme.

16. Document Version History

Date of first approved version (v1.0): 15th

March 2019

Revision history

Version number1 Author Date Summary of and rationale for changes

1 1.1, 1.2 etc. are used for minor changes and 2.0, 3.0 etc. for major changes (as defined in the University’s Guidance on

processes supporting curriculum changes)

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Annex 1 Foundation Year Modules:

Depending on the degree programme students choose, they will be given subject specific modules to study. Below is a list of all Foundation Year modules.

CHE-00027 General and Organic Chemistry

CHE-00030 Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

CHE-00033 Crime Science and Investigation

CRI-00003 Introduction to Criminology

ENL-00066 Essay Writing for University Study

ENL-00067 Seminar and Presentation Skills

ESC-00004 Greening Business: Employability and Sustainability

ESC-00005 Global Warming or a New Ice Age

ESC-00007 Entrepreneurship

FYO-00009 Basic Numerical and Computational Skills

FYO-00012 Numerical Skills for Physics

FYO-00018 Understanding Poetry

FYO-00019 Understanding Narrative

FYO-00034 Communication Skills for Scientists

FYO-00053 Elementary Mathematical Methods 1

FYO-00059 Introduction to Ethics

FYO-00060 Insight into Education

FYO-00061 The Employment Lifecycle

FYO-00069 The Making of Landscape

FYO-00075 Numerical Skills for Chemistry

FYO-00094 Sound of Music

FYO-00096 Computers & Programming

FYO-00097 Business & Management

FYO-00101 Introduction to Psychology

FYO-00108 Academic Development

FYO-00116 The Age of the Tudors

FYO-00117 Global Political Sociology

FYO-00118 The Newtonian World

FYO-00120 Computational Thinking

FYO-00122 Decisions, Investigations & Problem Solving

FYO-00123 The Earth – What Lies Beneath?

FYO-00124 The Earth’s Changing Surface

FYO-00125 People & Pathogens

FYO-00126 The US and the Cold War – 1945 – 1991

FYO-00127 Social Theory & Political Thought

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FYO-00128 Sociology of Culture

FYO-00129 Europe and the Modern World 1815 – 1918

FYO-00131 Intermediate Numerical and Computational Skills

FYO-00133 Elementary Mechanics

FYO-00135 Exploiting the Earth

FYO-00136 Thermal Physics & Fields

FYO-00137 Electricity & Electronics

FYO-00138 Quanta, Atoms & Elementary Particles

FYO-00139 Populations & the Environment

FYO-00140 Further Statistical Techniques

FYO-00141 Introduction to Legal Skills

FYO-00142 Information Technology for Business

FYO-00143 Information Technology for Computer Scientists

FYO-00144 Different Senses, Different Life?

FYO-00146 Imaging Physics

FYO-00147 Introduction to American Literature

FYO-00160 Chemistry Matters

FYO-00161 Introduction to the Digital Business World

FYO-00162 Law for Business

FYO-00173 Introduction to Forensic Psychology

FYO-00174 Business Finance & Economic Data

FYO-00177 Client-led Collaborative Design (awaiting approval)

FYO-00179 Logic, Codes and Cryptography

FYO-00183 Elementary Mathematical Methods II (20 credits)

PHI-00004 Critical Thinking

FYO-00058 Introduction to Philosophy

HIS-00004 Anglo Saxon England

LAW-00001 Introduction to Law

LSC-00003 Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism

LSC-00005 A Guide to Sex and Survival

MAT-00006 Making Sense of Statistics

MUS-00001 Developing Musical Performance

MUS-00003 Foundation Music Theory

PHA-00001 Information Technology for Health

PIR-00004 Introduction to Media in America

PTY-00002 Active Anatomy

SOC-00001 Sociology Across the Life Course

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HEALTH

FOUNDATION YEAR MODULES

CHE-00027 General and Organic Chemistry

CHE-00030 Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

FYO-00002 Clinical Numeracy

FYO-00004 Numerical Skills for Pharmacy

FYO-00005 Basic Numerical and Computational Skills for Health

FYO-00024 Communication Skills for Health Professions

FYO-00027 Mechanics for Health

FYO-00035 Personal Development for Health Professions

FYO-00047 First steps in Counselling Skills for Health Professionals

FYO-00108 Academic Development

FYO-00115 Introduction to Health and Psychology

FYO-00150 Chemistry for Health Science

FYO-00181 Academic and Professional Development for Health

LSC-00003 Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism

LSC-00005 A Guide to Sex and Survival

PHA-00001 Information Technology for Health

PTY-00002 Active Anatomy

VISUALLY IMPAIRED

FOUNDATION YEAR MODULES

FYO-00015 Reflection on Independent Living Skills

FYO-00016 Orientation Skills

FYO-00017 Assisted IT Skills

ELECTIVES

FYO-10011 Art of Noise

FYO-10014 A Different Way of Sensing Things – Focus on Sensory Loss

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Annex 2

Progression Rules for the Science Foundation Year All students will be required to obtain an average of 55% across 120 credits during the Foundation Year. In addition, the following marks must be obtained in the specified modules to progress to the specified degree subjects.

Subject Module requirements

Combined honours Astrophysics 55% in all Physics and Maths modules taken

Single honours Biochemistry 65% in General and Organic Chemistry 65% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Biomedical Science Average of 65% overall

Single honours Chemistry 70% in General and Organic Chemistry 70% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Combined honours Chemistry 70% in General and Organic Chemistry 70% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Single honours Forensic Science Average of 60% overall and 60% in General and Organic Chemistry 60% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Combined honours Forensic Science Average of 60% overall and 60% in General and Organic Chemistry 60% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Single honours Forensic and Analytical Investigation Average of 60% overall and 60% in General and Organic Chemistry 60% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Single honours Mathematics Pass 40 credits of approved Mathematics modules at a minimum of 55%

Combined honours Mathematics Pass 40 credits of approved Mathematics modules at a minimum of 55%

Combined honours Medicinal Chemistry 70% in General and Organic Chemistry 70% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Single honours Neuroscience Average of 65% overall

Single honours Physics Single honours Physics with Astrophysics

Average of 60% overall and 60% in Elementary Mathematical Methods I 60% in Elementary Mathematical Methods II 60% in Further Calculus 60% in Making Sense of Statistics 60% in The Newtonian World 60% in Quanta, Atoms and Elementary Particles 60% in Thermal Physics and Fields 60% in Electricity and Electronics

Combined honours Physics 55% in all Physics and Maths modules taken

Single honours Psychology 55% in Introduction to Psychology 55% in Introduction to Forensic Psychology

Single honours Psychology with Counselling 55% in Introduction to Psychology 55% in Introduction to Forensic Psychology